Scope of the conference

The conference responds to the increasingly widespread view that sustainable development requires fundamental structural changes in the socio-technical systems that currently provide for human needs.

Socio-technical systems are reproduced through the interaction of many different actors, artefacts, institutions and ideas. The innovation of more sustainable artefacts and practices cannot be effective without changes to the broader contexts in which they are produced and used. Existing sustainability strategies struggle to engage with these complex and extensive socio-technical systems.

Structural change tends to be emergent. Steering transitions along pathways that seek the normative goal of sustainability poses considerable challenges. Past transitions have involved contingency, setbacks and shifts. Policies for sustainable transitions need to develop new structures, but often without any clear and well-defined consensus about ends or means.

Such complexity begs the questions: To what extent is it possible to understand the dynamics of transitions, both historically and for ongoing transitions? How can knowledge gained about the dynamics of transitions be best used to achieve (or avoid) change? Is it politically possible to induce and shape sustainable socio-technical transitions, and, if so, how? What kind of governance seems most appropriate for the innovation of sustainable production-consumption systems? How could adequate forms of governance be developed and introduced? Does transition governance alter the politics of sustainable development, and if so, how?

Main themes of the Conference

The conference will provide an opportunity to evaluate, and reflect on, the current state of knowledge with regards to understanding the dynamics and governance of transitions to sustainability. It will be especially interesting to compare and contrast the lessons learnt from recent research in different European countries. Sessions will be organised around the twin pillars of Understanding Transitions and Strategic Orientation and Policy Programmes, drawing on the following themes:

1. Understanding Transitions:

Within the broad theme of understanding transitions, papers addressing the following topics are welcomed:

  • Understanding the patterns and pathways of transitions;
  • Applications of governance and political science approaches to transitions;
  • Applications of complex systems analysis to transitions;
  • Applications of co-evolutionary approaches to transitions;
  • Conceptual tools and frameworks for analysing transitions; Multi-level analysis and transitions; Multi-phase analysis and transitions;
  • Understanding the power of incumbent actors and niche pioneers;
  • Understanding the relationship between transition governance and conventional political representation;
  • Understanding the role of mass movements and societal transformation;
  • Monitoring and evaluating transitions;
  • Critiquing and deepening the theoretical underpinnings of tools and frameworks for the analysis of transitions.

Both historical and contemporary studies are welcomed, and the conference will aim for a balance between theoretical contributions and empirical approaches. Papers addressing the political aspects of the dynamics of transitions are especially encouraged.

2. Strategic Orientation and Policy Programmes

Within the broad themes of Strategic Orientation and Policy Programmes, papers addressing the following topics are welcomed:

  • Designing system innovations and transitions;
  • Using scenarios and visions for transitions;
  • Experiments for transitions and system innovations;
  • Aligning policy programmes with a strategic orientation;
  • Aligning long-term and short-term dynamics;
  • Achieving governance across domains;
  • Developing, testing and evaluating tools for governance processes;
  • Addressing the legitimacy and authority of transition experiments;
  • Monitoring and evaluating the governance of transitions;
  • Embedding transitions approaches within governance for sustainability.

Papers are invited that address relevant aspects of the dynamics and governance of sustainability transitions, preferably addressing one or more of the topics identified above.

Proposals for sessions of 3-4 papers are also invited. These proposals should include abstracts for each paper together with a short overview that should include indication of a chair and commentator. The organisers may then add 2-3 further papers to the session, selected from the accepted abstracts.

Papers that address the themes of the conference but that cover geographical regions outside of Europe are welcomed. Similarly presenters based outside of Europe are most welcome to submit abstracts where they address the overall scope and specific themes of the conference, as described in the call for papers.